A.I would have to say I met each individual co-author by divine connection. I believe there was purpose in meeting each co-author for their unique testimonies to fill each chapter in this book I have compiled, so that these chapters can relate to single mothers out there so we can help them to overcome their obstacles.

Q. How did the idea for a book project come about?

A.With everything I have been through I had to share it with the world so that other single mothers know they are not alone and they can get through their struggles.

Q. What inspired you to write Confessions of a Single Mother with multiple authors?

A. I know I have a lot of testimonies but I believe that it had to be more than just one person’s testimony to convince that really bound and chained single mother out there; with that life threatening situation, that she cannot get out of, that she can read about the 12 of us single mothers that has overcame. Therefore she can as well.

Q. In the chapter you wrote, you are very transparent in sharing your past experiences. How important was it to be transparent?

A.It was very important to be transparent I want to be real with my audience I want it to relate to real life situations that are out there these situations should not be sugar coated or hidden because I believe if we are not opened about them we won’t resolve them to our full potential then it might happen again, so moving forward we can understand our worth as women.

Q. As I read your story, I thought to myself "wow, she is brave to put so much personal and private things about her life out there." Did you think to yourself that you should have held back from telling so much because of what people might say?

A.I believe I did not want to hold back anything in fact I have a lot more to tell and write about which will come in due time. I tend to disregard the negative things people say I only need God’s approval and to know that this is my purpose because God assured me he will turn my mess into a message.

Q. What can readers take away from this book?

A. In each chapter each co-author suggests coping mechanisms that helped them with their struggle to use to move forward from that obstacle.

Q. You speak of God a lot in the book. When did you know that He wanted a better life for you?

A.God was calling me for a while but I was very disobedient and stubborn I was persistent in a negative way to do things my way which I found out later by my consequences was not a humble nor righteous way to reach my purpose or destiny like a parent to a child God wants the best for me but I have to be submissive to his will. I fully surrendered to him 2011.

Q. Did you overcome your "struggle"? If so, how did you find the strength and motivation to do so?

A.Well I had a lot of struggles and still have things I struggle with to this day I am definitely not perfect but as I let God fight my battles and have him in my life I am sure to overcome and win just what I have notice from my past struggles that I have overcame. God has healed and strengthened me from being paralyzed from waist down in 2010. You know that scripture that says “I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me” I am a living testimony of those words.

Q. You are also a motivation speaker, correct? What has that been like for you?

A.Yes that is my next assignment, coming to a community near you in 2017.

Q. Any upcoming book(s) and/or projects in the making?

A.Of course as I said I have a lot more to write about I already started a book called Sweet Success Sisters book release April 2017 another compilation as well a recipe book for my confessions of a single mother authors and a stage show and film performing the stories of the struggles of single mothers.

Q.When is the official launch date for Confessions of a Single Mother? Are you excited?

A.December 14th 2016 6pm I am super excited because it will be a grand celebration of over 100 people the tickets are going fast.

JT: I began writing before I started junior kindergarten and when I did start school, I was very bored while the teacher was getting the kids to learn numbers, shapes and the alphabet—so I wrote and drew my own comic books about video game characters, on blank paper notepads; while many kids were excited to bring home their “A+” or “B-” grades on their test papers, I couldn’t wait to bring home the cartoon books I made during the day to show and laugh with my mom.

SB: What is it about writing that you enjoy?

JT: What I enjoy most about writing is that there are no rules; besides spelling and grammar, I have a blank page to put down whatever comes to mind. As an artist, that level of boundless creativity is exhilarating—as I think (and dream) up many stories that I love to share!

SB: Your first published book is called Prissy Little Chloe, correct? Is it fiction or non-fiction?

JT: My first published book Prissy Little Chloe is a non-fiction, journal-style cartoon about my troublesome terrier.

SB: Tell us a bit about Prissy Little Chloe. What was your inspiration for writing this book?

JT: Prissy Little Chloe: Time of the Year centers on how I end up with a rambunctious little troublemaker for Christmas, after four years of begging for a puppy and her evolution from nice to naughty over the course of a few days!

In Prissy Little Chloe: Terrier Trouble, Chloe always wants to be the center of attention; she makes up her own rules everyday--and gets herself into a (literal!) rut running through the neighborhood--setting me on a (literal!) wild goose chase, every single day, without fail. She slips through the gate in the yard or runs through the door when she gets the chance and then runs across the street into peoples' backyard, homes ... or into their car.

The inspiration I had for writing Prissy Little Chloe was to keep with moral of going after what you set out to do (or get!) by first believing you already have it; and works as a great introduction to the Law of Attraction, in an cute and funny way for kids!

SB: Prissy Little Chloe became a bestseller on Amazon. How did you find out & how did it make you feel?

JT: I checked Prissy Little Chloe’s Amazon ranking a few days after release and was surprised to see it reach number one in the category for children’s dog books and I’m very pleased to have a bestseller ranking among the millions of ebooks available!

SB: What sort of feedback have you received about your book?

JT: Nothing but love—which I’m so happy and grateful for; that’s why I started writing books in the first place.

SB: Have you given any thought to turning Prissy Little Chloe into a series?

JT: Prissy Little Chloe is a book series— the new Prissy Little Chloe: Terrier Trouble is now available! The upcoming Prissy Little Chloe: Chloville is slated for release later this year.

SB: I understand that you drew the cartoon images in this book. How did you get into cartooning?

JT: I’ve always loved to draw! Cartooning is my first adopted art style, especially in my early humor books from kindergarten; so it felt only natural to include them—exactly how I used to draw my original doodles as a child—in my most-recent cartoon journal Prissy Little Chloe.

SB: You also paint very well, woman of many talents. Any plans to do some work illustrating books?

JT: Why, thank you! I would love to work as a freelance illustrator as a part of my art career; I’m currently taking a program at the Toronto Film School in digital art and animation, so any creative job for me is something I’d gladly undertake!

SB: What was your publishing experience like? Were there any challenges?

JT: I wrote and published my first book Prissy Little Chloe: Time of the Year in three weeks, onto Amazon and it was seamless; technology has made it very easy for writers to transition to authorship, in a matter of minutes. I wish I had Kindle available to me when I was six—I’d have about fifty published novels by now!

SB: Planning on writing anymore books? If so, when can we expect them?

JT: A new book about my dog can be written every day. Prissy Little Chloe: Chloville will be out this June!

SB: What projects/writing projects are you currently working on?

JT: I’m a college student taking digital video game art and animation, but I’ve been writing reports and essays as of late on a lot of art history and mythology; but that’s the boring school stuff. I’m always writing about my rambunctious little Chloe—so stay tuned for Prissy Little Chloe: Chloville!

With an academic background in writing, editing, music instruction, and media/communications, Stacey Marie Robinson directs the activities and operation of Kya Publishing, including the creation, promotion, and production of her own novels, along with the Journal of Canadian Urban Fiction. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Studies (University of Windsor), a Masters in Communications (Wayne State University, Detroit), and a diploma in Publishing (Ryerson University).

The Interview

SB: You have a publishing company called Kya Publishing. Tell us a bit about it?

SMR: Kya Publishing is “Canadian Literature Inspired by Urban Culture,” and an outlet for me to communicate and document the experiences, the culture, and this moment in history for my peers and associates. I primarily do this through story writing, and have written 9 books to date that reflect our unique Toronto culture and the various lifestyles that exist within it. In addition to writing, designing, and producing my own books, I am also heavily involved in the promotional efforts and communication of a few urban cultural artists in the city as well. My goal with Kya Publishing is to establish and strengthen the literary genre of Canadian Urban Fiction through storytelling and character development. In addition to the reading materials, I am committed to seeing the culture grow and progress, and in supporting urban literacy and development in any way that I can. I have conducted book drives, panel discussions, a book expo, children’s initiatives, and created an academic journal all in support of this mission to document and celebrate Canada’s urban culture.

SB: How do you manage your time with your publishing company and writing?

SMR: Kya Publishing and my writing are rooted in inspiration. In order for me to be productive with building my company and growing as an author, I need to stay engaged and alert! I work full time as a Communications Coordinator for a government organization, and I also coordinate the communications/publicity for a few urban artists (photographers, dancers, DJs, MCs), sports figures, and cultural groups. In order for me to manage my time, it’s simple: I have to stay INSPIRED! That involves taking in musical events, travelling, going to shows, and a big part of that is assisting others in the community with their writing, promotions, and dreams! My writing is rooted in the experiences and cultural passions of “the people” of Toronto, so all of my activities feed into one another, and help me to sustain my interest in seeing Kya Publishing grow.

SB: Carnival Spotlight is your recent publication and 9th book. You have written 8 URBAN TORONTO TALES, a collection of stories about the cultural and personal experiences of first-generation Canadians. What is different about this book?

SMR: That is a great question. Essentially, the overall themes in this novel have not changed in that it is representative of Canadian urban culture. I anticipate that most of my novels going forward will still be the same genre: personal tales of growth and self-awareness, heavily focused on culture, with an element of romance. That being said, the Urban Toronto Tales represent a younger demographic—of the 8 books in the collection, the majority of them were written when I was a high school/university student, so they reflect many of the issues and ideals of those stages of life. I tend to write characters that are the same age as me, and the Urban Toronto Tales represents characters below the age of 30, by default. Going forward, my novels outside of the collection will feature slightly older characters at a different stage in life and personal development. The issues will change as a result, as well as how the characters handle them.

SB: Carnival Spotlight is about Toronto's former reggae dancehall princess, Delia. Why did Delia leave the dancehall scene to dance for a soca group?

SMR: Delia left the dancehall scene because of an abusive relationship that was rooted in the people and environment, and also because her friendships fell apart, and she wanted to distance herself from the people that brought drama to her life. My novel Video Light tells the story of Delia and Ryan from the day they first meet (5 years before Carnival Spotlight takes place), and the trouble she had breaking out of her old habits, and trying desperately to establish a new stable life with Ryan. Delia’s love for the dancehall remained in her heart, but being introduced to the soca group re-ignited her passion for dancing…with a new group of people.

SB: Delia’s marriage is at stake because of her involvement in the seductive party lifestyle of soca? Do you believe that soca and/or dancehall affects many marriages/relationships, if so why?

SMR: Yes, in Carnival Spotlight, Delia’s re-entry to the party scene definitely causes friction in her marriage because it brings her back to a place in her past that was filled with negativity and confusion, and it represents a part of her history that she was trying to move past. I think that any powerful outside influence can potentially affect your marriage or relationship if it’s not explained or understood correctly. For example, Ryan (Delia’s husband) is an academic, and doesn’t place as much emphasis on partying and dancing for his self-esteem or ego. Delia, on the other hand, has her entire identity rooted in being “that girl” at the club and on the dance floor. So in this particular case, that passion of hers, and the powerful force of music and drinking and dancing and sexual movements all wrapped into one definitely poses a threat to Ryan. That being said, I don’t think it’s the soca/dancehall music in particular that affects marriages or relationships…I think it’s the threat of having something break that bond, and something enticing one partner away from their union. Delia loves Ryan and what his world represents (stability, progress, etc.)…but Delia’s heart is drawn into the music and her love for dancing with a force that Ryan fears.

SB: Have you ever thought of being a dancehall queen?

SMR: LOL, that’s a funny question. I’ve always been so in love with reggae music, and there maaaaay have been a small part of me as a young teenager that truly admired the confidence and the boldness that came along with the image of the “dancehall queen.” I knew every song, every riddim, every dance move, every artist, every sound crew…everything about reggae music in the 90s! And I knew this often from the comfort of my home as a teenager, and it fascinated me! As I got older and started venturing out into the actual venues where I could experience the music and dancing first hand, I knew that I had the opportunity to do what I do best: I wrote about it! There is an element of music, and reggae/Caribbean culture, and that urban entertainment environment in EVERY story I write. It is my heart…but as a writer, I would rather capture it in print and share the electricity of the moment than actually be the girl Dutty Wining on stage. I’ll continue to let my characters live out those “secret” adolescent fantasies on my behalf!!

SB: What is it about dancehall or soca that many people, especially young people are fascinated with?

SMR: I think a huge part of the appeal of dancehall and soca music is the cultural connection. The lyrics, the dance moves, the rhythms, and the performance of it all are such a personal cultural experience and something that brings you closer to others with shared interests. In Toronto in particular, I think the young people are fascinated by what it represents: their heritage. Their families back home. It’s a way to connect to your roots at a very personal level, and by dancing to the music, and taking in the lyrics, and enjoying the stage shows and performances, and DJs with your peers…there’s a unique cultural bonding that takes place that you can’t find just anywhere. It’s a personal experience…and the music is so soulful that it almost strengthens your love for your culture and your people! Even for those outside of the culture, there’s enough energy surrounding the music that it’s hard to resist!

SB: You have been involved with Toronto carnival for 8 years. What was your experience like as a participant?

SMR: It’s been so much fun, being involved with the Toronto carnival as more than a spectator. I’ve attended the carnival for over 20 years, living in the city, and there has been a great increase in my respect and appreciation for the event as a participant. There is such intricate planning, and detail, and the competition aspect is great, and the creative energy is out of this world. It’s fabulous to have that mix of the arts and culture together, and being a participant is fun from every angle!

SB: What was it about the Toronto carnival that drew you to it?

SMR: Oh, everything! It started with the music and the social aspect, and as I became more familiar with the system and the opportunities, I became intrigued by the costume designs, the organization of the mas bands, and the promotion of the culture to others. The first year I designed/created costumes with a few friends, I fell in love with everything! The beads, the fabrics, the feathers, the mas camp socialization and camaraderie, the events, the performing artists, and then when we hit the road for the carnival for the first time as official “mas makers”…it was a wrap! I was hooked! I’ve since travelled to other carnivals and found that the culture is consistent: it’s all about music, dancing, the foods, the celebration and there are few feelings of euphoria and joy that compare to this Caribbean tradition. I love that I’ve been able to integrate my writing into this fairly new passion of mine.

SB: What is the difference between dancehall and soca groups?

SMR: In this particular case, the soca group “Groovy Massive” is a collective of trained dancers who exclusively perform to soca music only. While there are many similarities with the two genres of Caribbean music, there is a difference in movement and tempo and the overall culture that surrounds them that makes this fictional dance group unique. While the character Delia Chinn was a notorious dancehall figure, her dancing mainly took place informally in the club and at events, whereas the Groovy Massive soca group are a choreographed group of professional performers. At the heart of it all…I believe both soca and dancehall music are very similar. SD: What sort of reviews/feedback have you gotten from your fans/people about Carnival Spotlight?

SMR: I am looking forward to receiving feedback on this novel, which has now been available for about a month. I hope that readers both in the carnival community, and new to the experience, can appreciate the beauty of the culture and all of the excitement it brings to Toronto. I also hope that those who originally read Video Light, are pleased with the way Ryan and Delia’s relationships has progressed in this novel.

SB: What’s next for you?

SMR: I’m going to participate in a Culture Days panel on September 27th for a discussion about freelance writing, and in November I will be on a panel at the Toronto International Book Festival about diversity and music in writing, which I’m looking forward to. I will continue to work on promotion for Carnival Spotlight and the Urban Toronto Tales collection, and I plan to put out the second edition of the Journal of Canadian Urban Fiction later this year. In February Kya Publishing will be hosting the 2nd annual Toronto Urban Book Expo, and I look forward to seeing this genre (and hopefully my readership!) increase as a result. I am really anticipating the discussions and insights that the interaction and research brings to my journey as an author and publisher.

I was born in Italy to Nigerian parents and spent fifteen of the first sixteen years of my life in Nigeria. In Nigeria, I attended the famous King’s College Lagos and lived in various parts of the city, providing me with a lot of literary fodder. My family immigrated to Canada in 2000, and I completed high school in Toronto. In high school, I was equally interested in both the sciences and arts and excelled in both. Despite my English teacher’s protestations, I decided to eschew the life of a fulltime writer/author and went on to study engineering at the University of Toronto. I currently work in the Canadian oil/gas sector and enjoy my professional career, but I have always maintained a healthy writing habit, contributing to blogs and online portals on both engineering and socio-political issues.

The Interview

SD: A Rainy Season is your first novel. How do you feel?

NN: I am very excited to be able to achieve a childhood goal of mine. And yes, I have to emphasize ‘child’. I was less than 8 years old when I would write short stories, bind them up and distribute them to family members for their enjoyment. To be able to do this on a larger scale and for a wider audience is phenomenal.

SD: What was your inspiration forA Rainy Season?

NN: I spent most of my formative years in Nigeria, and from the time I was five till when I was sixteen, I lived in Lagos. Lagos specifically, and Nigeria in general, was an ‘interesting’ place to have as an abode during the nineties. There was a lot of social, political and economic turmoil. For a good part of that decade, Nigeria was largely a pariah state and this resulted in many hardships and deprivations. On a personal level, my family lived in three different areas in Lagos, I attended schools that exposed me to various social classes and I was always fairly observant. Putting all these elements together, it made sense that my first published work would not only cover that period, but also bring to life the personality types and social issues that I was familiar with growing up.

SD: Is there a meaning behind the title, A Rainy Season?

NN: The death of General Abacha is the pivot upon which the storyline revolves. He died during the time of year – June – that is called the ‘rainy season’ due to the torrential downpours that are typically experienced then. In addition, the country was going through a lot of social, political and economic upheavals at the time. These crises tended to give the impression of overwhelming the country and its citizens, not unlike the feeling one has standing in a downpour without an umbrella. Finally, it’s well known that sunshine comes after the rain. This speaks to the hopeful element that I hope comes across in the book; the promise that there’s something better on the horizon, despite our imperfections and problems.

SD:I particularly love the title of this book. At what point in writing this book did you come up with the title?

NN: I decided on the title almost as soon as I started writing the book. Prior to writing, when the book was still an idea, I had settled on another title. However when I started writing the first words of the synopsis, which became the back cover, “It was the rainy season of 1998…” I knew what I wanted the title to be.

SD:When you first had the idea for A Rainy Season did you ever imagine you'd end up with writing it the way it turned out?

NN: For the most part, I was settled on the book’s style right from the start. My inspiration was V.S. Naipul’s Miguel Street, which has a similar feel. I knew that I wanted it be from a first-person perspective and that I wanted to have multiple characters, so that the ‘voice’ didn’t become boring for the reader over the course of the book. As a bit of a deviation from Naipul, I wanted each narrative to stand on its own as a sort of mini-novel, while still having some inter-connectedness; after all the characters lived in the same compound. Clearly, that’s a particularly difficult style to utilize for a debut novel, so it was important that I determined it right off the bat and stuck to it. What probably changed a bit was the ending. I won’t reveal the original ending, but let’s just say that the current ending is both more realistic and more hopeful.

SD:Some would say a lot of information shared in this book stems from a strong historical and political standpoint. Would you agree or disagree?

NN: I would agree. When I’m not working as an engineer, I’m a bit of a socio-political commentator and I am a history buff. As much as this is a literary book, it definitely has strong historical and political nuances. I tried to tie in some events in Nigeria’s history without preaching about them or displaying any bias to the reader. In addition, I didn’t try to analyze them or allow them to take away from the narrative. Examples include the Nigerian Civil War, the hanging of political activist Ken Saro-Wiwa, the annulled federal elections in 1993, the recent Boko-Haram terrorist menace and so on. For the most part, however, the work is purely fictional. History and politics are simply used as condiments to make a better meal.

SD:Though your book is fiction, there is some information about the African culture that is non-fiction, correct? Please tell us what is fact from fiction?

NN: African culture is such a broad term that I hesitate to specify. Even in Nigeria alone, there are over 250 linguistic dialects among over 30-40 language and culture groups. Obviously, the aspects of food, language and dress styles are spot on. Socio-cultural norms like divorce and fertility – as seen in Tamara’s story, to give an example – largely represent African beliefs. Again, this is a broad term and I’m really hesitant to say that they are necessarily African especially because each culture has differing levels of tolerance for certain norms. What I would say is that Nigerian culture – in the context of its broad spectrum – is accurately reflected in A Rainy Season.

SD:You talk about an autocracy and corrupt ruler in A Rainy Season. Do you think a government system such as this still exists today whether in Nigeria or in different parts of the world?

NN: Nigeria is currently under a democratic government, at least on paper. There are lots of issues with the amount of power concentrated in the central government, with electoral malpractice which has seen the same party remain in power since 1999 and with corruption that’s fueled by the twin arms of nepotism and an absence of the rule of law. Of course, there are several other examples in the world. Is it better than having an absolute dictator in power? I’m sure there are citizens under iron-handed dictatorships who wish for the imperfect democracy Nigeria has.

SD:The main characters in your bookare different yet the same. Please explain this?

NN: Exactly! That is the underlying theme of the book. Despite all the outward differences – gender, social class, religion and ethnicity – the characters are all looking for the same things their fellow global citizens are looking for: food, clothing, shelter, happiness, love and peace. They want to go about their daily business without being harassed or having to compromise their value systems. On a more intellectual level, there has always been a debate in Nigeria about what it means to be Nigerian, especially when each of the three major ethnic groups (and several of the smaller ones) boast populations larger than some developed countries and have well-defined cultures of their own. I believe books like this help to show that those differences are minor when there’s a larger goal of building a better country that works for everybody.

SD:The book focuses on the differences in gender, tribe, religion and economic standing through the eyes of the eight characters. Do you think it was important to write about these differences?

NN: Yes, it is. As I mentioned previously, these are the main social differences in Nigeria. Most acclaimed books written about Nigeria tend to be politically-correct when describing ethnic or religious stereotypes in particular. Others tend to go the other way and are overly biased, likely because they are tailored towards specific audiences. Writing about them in this balanced way helps to bring the discussion to the forefront of national discourse and hopefully, helps to make such differences less important than nation-building.

SD:Which one of the characters, if any most reminds you of yourself?

NN: Again, the work is fictional and I don’t want to give anyone ideas about how true some of the writing is (laughs), but probably a little bit of Elechi and Jude.

SD:Can readers/fans expect more novels from you in the future?

NN: Yes, I have started developing the idea for my second novel. I hope to tie in a significant Canadian element into this one as well.

Each day that I am fortunate enough to open my eyes, I observe, challenge, push, react, all in hopes of becoming a better writer. I hesitate to label myself as an author because anyone that publishes a book can claim that title. I am a writer; someone who lives with words and is in constant analysis of the world around me. My gift is to communicate stories through the written word; to create worlds within those pages that readers can see, touch, sense and feel as they are guided through tales that reflect genuine life situations and perspectives.

I have taken the time to precisely craft my first public message. This is only the first step. There is still so much I have to say.

The Interview

SD: When did you start writing seriously/professionally?

KC: This is a tough question. I’ve been a freelance writer for the past three years, making a living off of writing. But I’ve been working on Thoughts of a Fractured Soul for six years so I’m not sure what would qualify as my start to professional writing.

SD: Why do you write?

KC: I write first of all because I love it. I remember writing my first story in third grade. It was something like The Lion King, very similar actually. I also write because this is what I want my life to be. I want to be a writer, an “author” I guess you can say. I love using words to tell stories, to communicate life situations that I’ve observed throughout my own life.

SD: What authors have influenced you to start writing and why?

KC: Toni Morrison is the first author that really captivated me. Reading Beloved was like the most incredible experience for me in high school. It opened my eyes to how words can really move people to emotion. Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad was another amazing story. It’s relatively short, less than 38,000 words I believe, but the actual tale that it tells has allowed it to be considered one of the most classic books in literature. Graham Greene has a story called The Power and the Glory that shook me when I first read it. He is definitely someone whom I pattern my writing after. More recently, I would say Khaled Hosseini is someone who sparked my journey to writing this book. When I first read A Thousand Splendid Suns I was literally in awe. There was not one page of that book that did not keep my full attention. His style, the emotion of that story, the actual story itself; all of it was brilliant and I remember clearly thinking that ‘I want to write like this.’ I went back and read his first novel The Kite Runner and I’ve been a fan ever since.

SD: Do you think your writing can have an impact on the world?

KC: Yes. That is my only goal. I want more than anything to be able to touch the world with my writing. I want my words to have an impact on culture, on my generation, and on the generations after me. Until that happens, I will never be satisfied.

SD: You recently just released your first book, Thoughts of a Fractured Soul. How does it feel to be the author of a book?

KC: You know what, everyone has asked me that question. They’ve told me I should be celebrating this accomplishment of completing my first book. But to be completely honest, I don’t feel like I’ve accomplished anything yet. I want so much more for myself that completing this book feels like the beginning; like I can finally get my life mission started. I know that I should be able to step back and appreciate this milestone, but until my mission of touching the world is realized, then I’ll always feel incomplete.

SD: How did you come up with the title for Thoughts of a Fractured Soul?

KC: Good question. Well I actually didn’t think of the title till well after completing the story, which I’m not sure is consistent with how other authors write. The first title I was originally going with was “For My Independence,” which is actually the title of my blog. But I needed something that spoke directly to the story and also had an emotion attached to it that people could feel just by reciting the words. After going through a few edits of the story, I felt “Thoughts of a Fractured Soul” was the most powerful and best reflected what my story is about.

SD: Thoughts of a Fractured Soul is about a young man named Corey Thomas, aka Ace, who had to make some decisions that impacted his life tremendously. Is it safe to say that Corey sounds a lot like today’s young generation?

KC: Yes, definitely. My story is made to speak to today’s generation, the Millennial generation. Specifically it details the transition from being a teenager to moving into adulthood and the decisions that are made during those periods that may seem inconsequential but in fact determine your future to a large degree.

SD: Do you see a bit of Corey in your younger self or in yourself now?

KC: Yes, I definitely do see myself in Corey. Just struggling to make the right decision and not knowing what the right decision is in most cases. At times thinking I had made the right decision when in reality I had no idea what I was doing. I think it’s something all Millennials struggle with.

SD: There are a couple of topics that are mentioned in the book such as young love and teenage parenting. How do these topics relate to the younger generation of today?

KC: I think we all remember the first time we were in love. What gets lost in that sometimes is just how deeply being in love can impact our lives. People, and I’ll guess even more so with young people, when they're in love nothing else matters; no one else matters. All they see is that person and the illusion of perfection that they’ve created around that person. But too much love can be just as detrimental as too much hate, and it’s difficult to really step back and analyze the situation as a young person when you’re so blinded by your emotions.

SD: Is this book written for a young audience? If so, was this intentional?

KC: I don’t think about the audience specifically when I’m writing. All of that comes after. I would say my book is written for the Millennial generation but includes characters and messages that speak to everyone.

SD: Is there a lesson to be learned in Thoughts of a Fractured Soul? If so, please explain.

KC: I don’t think there is one single lesson I can point to and say, “this is what I want people to take away from this story.” I can say that for me the biggest tragedy is not realizing your own potential and settling for mediocrity. I couldn’t imagine not writing this story because this is what I was meant to do. Pursuing my passion and creating the life formyself of my choosing means everything to me. Thoughts of a Fractured Soul touches on aspects of not feeling fulfilled, but that is just one side of the story.

SD: Will there be a sequel to this book?

KC: No, I don’t think so. I think I’ve told the precise story that I set out to tell and that’s all that I ask of myself. But I guess you never know, right?

Kidnapped when she was three years old, Sue began her writing career as a means of escape from the emotional scars and repetitive nightmares from her childhood. She wrote her first poem at nine years old, after the death of her mother.

As an investigative reporter in college, she earned a journalism scholarship, then she went on to write her first book, Bitter Memories: A Memoir of Heartache and Survival, the story about her life after the kidnapping, two sequels to Bitter Memories, plus several other books.

Today she lives in Nevada with her husband, two dogs, a cat and a bird. She enjoys the outdoors, reading and writing.

You can find all of her books on her website: http://sj2448.wix.com/suejulsen

The Interview

SD: Your book, Zip Ties and Lies: The Anderson/DiMaggio Case: Coldhearted-Coldblooded is based on a real murder case that took place in California. Why did you choose to write a book about this case?

SJ: When this high-profile case hit the news, a two-story home was on fire and a woman’s body was found inside the detached garage at the residence. Hearing that a bloody crowbar was found next to her body, and being a true crime author, this immediately caught my attention. Then an Amber Alert went out claiming that the homeowner had rigged his home to burn and had kidnapped the dead woman’s two kids. Again this really caught my attention because I was kidnapped when I was a kid.

As more details emerged, I was hit with numerous red flags and had doubts about what the news was reporting and thoughts that the San Diego Sheriff’s Department, led by Sheriff Bill Gore, had only assumed, without proof, what have happened. Then, when Hannah Anderson, the daughter of the dead woman, was found and “rescued” and her alleged kidnapper was shot and killed, the stories being told didn’t add up. Doubting whether Hannah Anderson had been kidnapped at all led me to continue digging deeper for the truth.

SD: Does the title, Zip Ties and Lies, signify anything?

SJ: Yes, it does. Hannah Anderson telling multiple stories, then changing those stories every time she opened her mouth, gave me the “lies” part of the title. In one of Hannah’s made-to-order stories she said that before DiMaggio kidnapped her, he had zip-tied her and sat her down on the couch. Her mother’s feet had also been zip-tied as she was beaten to death. Hannah’s grandmother, Sara Britt, had posted on Pinterest a clip about “How to Escape Zip Ties,” and shared this post with Hannah. Combine it all together and you get Zip Ties and Lies.

SD: How did you go about researching this book?

SJ: Originally I had a trip scheduled to fly to San Diego, but that didn’t happen because a vindictive person posted my complete itinerary on the Internet. This made it unsafe for me to make the trip and left me with these options: to find out all I could on the Internet, on the news channels, watching numerous social sites of the parties involved, making phone calls and sending emails to concerned parties. Every possible avenue open to me, I pursued.

SD: How did you get some of the information that you did?

SJ: Again, checking social media sites, news articles, talking to anyone willing to talk about the case and share what they knew with me. Some of it came from anonymous sources, people wanting the information told, but not wanting to “get involved” personally.

SD: What concrete facts did you discover through your research about the murders?

SJ: The facts are too numerous to list, so you’ll have to read the book. However, with every step forward, I came away with many more questions, apparent cover-ups and screw-ups by the San Diego Sheriff’s Department and of course plenty of speculation to go along with all the facts.

SD: Many people have followed this case and they said that there were several things that did not make sense. After doing extensive research do you think that you are qualified to shed some light on some of the things that did not add up?

SJ: Many people are still following this case simply because those “things” still do not make sense, and because the truth has not been told.

My research began on August 4, 2013 and continued for eight-and-a-half months. If I didn’t feel qualified, I never would have published the book. So, yes, I am qualified. I not only provided details and facts, but also speculation and various scenarios from numerous sources. I want people to think about the information provided, then make up their own minds about what could have happened in Boulevard, California and in Idaho.

SD: Some people believe that James knew something about the murders of Christine and Ethan Anderson because he did kidnap Hannah Anderson. And then you have others who believe that he did not murder Christine and Ethan Anderson. How would you respond to both sides?

SJ: Zip Ties and Lies is highly controversial. For both sides I’d have to say, read the book, study the facts, study the gruesome autopsy reports, count the numerous lies and inconsistencies of Hannah Anderson’s multiple stories, look at all the ways the sheriff’s department failed the tax payers by its incompetence and prejudgments, then make up your own mind. I believe Zip Ties and Lies provides the information needed for every person to do that.

SD: You say it was a “coldblooded” murder of James DiMaggio by the FBI firing squad. Why do you believe this?

SJ: Partly because of Sheriff “Rush to Judgment” Gore putting his own preconceived ideas into the minds of the FBI and their sharpshooters. Partly because, from what was told, the FBI never gave DiMaggio a chance to surrender.

In the U.S., negotiators often work closely with family members, but they never brought DiMaggio’s only sister to Idaho to talk him down. Instead, they sent in two hostage rescue teams, but no negotiators. Their own motto is “resolution through dialogue” but there was no mention of any dialogue: not from the FBI, or from any of Hannah Anderson’s own stories of what happened in Idaho on August 10, 2013.

If the FBI were not acting as a firing squad, and if they truly believed it was a hostage situation, where were the hostage negotiators?

SD: Why do you think the public questioned Hannah and Brett Anderson’s innocence?

SJ: Without giving away too much from the book, mainly because of Hannah and Brett Anderson’s actions, and showing no sadness or grief at all. Also Brett Anderson hired a publicist BEFORE Hannah was even found in Idaho, talking a movie and book deal to profit from the brutal murders of his wife and son. Many people still question what actually happened at DiMaggio’s residence on August 3, 2013 and just how involved Hannah and Brett were in Tina and Ethan Anderson’s heinous murders.

To learn the numerous reasons, with a multitude of quotes from the public on this issue, read the book.

SD: You were recently interviewed by a reporter from Channel 10 News, San Diego about Zip Ties and Lies: The Anderson/DiMaggio Case: Coldhearted-Coldblooded. How did they get in touch with you?

SJ: They contacted me through information in my book announcement press release.

SD: Since the book’s publication what have the responses been like?

SJ: It’s been very positive. Many readers have contacted me, thanking me for writing the book in such depth and commenting on several bits of “enlightening” information I discovered during my research that the public never knew about.

John Alexander Priest was born in a town called Netherton in the West Midlands, UK. He started writing seriously in 1985 and has been published traditionally and independently.
His latest book is The Curse of Sea Shell Cave, the second book in the popular detective/whodunit series of Jay-Pea-Eyes aka Junior Private Investigators.
John has published two other books recently for Amazon e-Kindle: Peter Challenge – Time Surfer, a fantasy book for children and Little Miss Straight Tail, a bedtime story that is all about farm animal friends. Little Miss Straight Tail is a piglet born with a straight tail. Will it ever be curly?
John is a writer who enjoys school visits to demonstrate the writing processes.

The Interview

SD: The Curse of Sea Shell Cave is the second book in the Junior Private Investigators (JPI) series. The first book was The Boomerang Mystery. What sparked a second book?

JP: The Junior Private Investigators had only just formed. I couldn't just leave it at one book. I'm already working on a few ideas for the third! They (Harry, Polly, Lily and Stan) need a new investigation to keep their hands in.

SD: How did the idea to write a private investigators book series come about?

JP: I had the private investigators, which we all know as PIs, theme in my mind and then I thought, ‛hang on, what if they weren't adult PIs at all but young kids? What if they were Junior PIs?’ That's when I got the name Junior Private Investigators that can be shortened to JPIs or 'Jay-Pea-Eyes.'

SD: Where did you get the inspiration for the characters in The Curse of Sea Shell Cave?

JP: They just appear in my mind once I start planning the book. My favourite in this book is a Mr. Quay, or as his advertisements say, his name is Donald Quay, Don Quay for short. He owns the donkey-ride business on the beach not far from the hotel they're staying at in the book.

SD: Any plans in the future to turn JPIs into an ongoing book series like, for instance, the Hardy Boys mysteries?

JP: There will definitely be a third book written this year and if people continue to enjoy the JPIs, there will be a fourth.

SD: Do you have a background in private investigation or solving mysteries of some kind or do you have a love for solving clues and mysteries?

JP: I was a police officer for a good number of years until a serious leg injury meant I could not perform my duties anymore. My first book, Naughty Nigel Runs Away, was published by traditional publishers and was a story to warn children of the dangers of running away or getting lost and what they should do (find a police officer) to locate their parents.

SD: On your website you have published basic tips and tricks for how children can become a Junior Private Investigator. What have the responses been like from kids about The Curse of Sea Shell Cave?

JP: The Curse of Sea Shell Cave is very new so I doubt if I will get much feedback until June or July this year, but the first book went into schools and libraries and I was able to get the children's feedback while I was with them. One of the children actually wrote his own review of the Jay-Pea-Eyes in The Boomerang Mystery and it can be seen on my website.

SD: Are you a procrastinator or do you jump right in?

JP: I used to jump straight in when I first started writing. Now I make sure I plan my books properly so that I'm not stuck halfway through the book.

SD: Can you tell us about your writing process?

JP: I will normally have an idea of a story or it might just be a title. I work this around in my head for a while until I can't stand it any longer and it's ready to burst out. Then I take my fountain pen and a writing pad and start the process of getting the idea on paper. I don't start typing it up until the book is correctly planned and plotted and the characters are ready to play their parts. I find it very relaxing to use a fountain pen and paper and I also find it easier to read and check through my work this way. Everyone finds his or her own methods and this is mine.

SD: When you are not writing what do you do?

JP: I have had many jobs, my last one being a Tutor and English/Employability Trainer. I stopped work two years ago at 54 years old to concentrate on my writing, but this didn't last long. My wife and I look after our three grandchildren fulltime which is great and allows me to watch all the cartoons, films and also read the latest children's books, so it's all grist to the mill.

SD: What books and authors have most influenced you?

JP: For my children's books, I think Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie would have to be a favourite and Roald Dahl who was a brilliant author and created some fantastic books and characters.

Bernadette Hood-Caesar, an active trade unionist and social advocate, chronicles her personal journey where she chose to make a stand in a class-action suit against the State of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago in her new book, The Courage to go Forward. She stood up for her rights and for the rights of 65,000 staff members employed in the Trinidad and Tobago public service.

She’s also published a middle grade novel (Sleepover Zoo), two picture books (There’s Nothing Wrong With Claudia and Parrots and Popcorn) and an early teen novel (The Day I Washed My Face in the Toilet).

Mark W. Sasse has lived in Asia for most of the past twenty years giving his writing a definite cross-cultural Asian flare.

His first novel, Beauty Rising, was released in December 2012, followed up by The Recluse Storyteller ten months later. His third novel, a labor of love about Vietnam entitled The Reach of the Banyan Tree, is scheduled to be released in July 2014.

It was while on a work assignment in western Canada as a corporate accountant at L-3 Communications, that Judith Green did some soul searching about her true calling in life. She had a passion for helping impoverished children, but wasn’t sure of the means for accomplishing this. Her other growing interest in environmental issues was heightened through her travels where she saw first-hand the harmful effects of environmental degradation on the poor, particularly children. Her interests in environmental issues, which are universal to all children, seem to naturally complement her desire to help children. In her quest to fulfill her calling, Judith is committed to writing environmental literature for children.

Judith believes that teaching children about the environment at an early age provides them with a solid foundation for environmental stewardship. Throughout her work, she enlivens environmental issues by engulfing them in fictional and captivating narratives with colourful characters that seize children’s attention and fuel their imaginations.

Judith is an accountant. She is married and lives in Brampton, Ontario, Canada and is the proud mother of three young adults.

A portion of the proceeds of book sales will support programs for needy children.

Further information about Judith Green and her works is available on her website at www.enviro1online.com, which also features a blog with additional interesting material on environmental matters.

Declan Harney lives in Lancashire, England on the coast. He is best known for his Treebob books. He started writing in 2010 with the first of these books, The Treebobsandthe Dizzy Broomsticks, being published that year.

Such was the success of this first book that it was soon followed by The Treebobs and the Runaway Cauldron, The Treebobs and the Giant Mole, The TreebobsRescue Rotten Rena and The TreebobsSave Christmas. His latest book in the series is The Treebobs and Air Rena which is helping to support Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital Charity.

He is also a successful narrator and is currently busy writing The Shop that Sold Wishes and Magic as well as the Treebob series.

Vision: the belief that symbology will be a huge part of the art and that all may project a uniqueness of their Indianness through this. We promote the essence of our culture through education with our ceremonies and visions through symbols.

The sharing through symbology/pictorial imaging precipitates a phenomenon of altruism and healing. Guidance through mind, heart, body and spirit is essential to envisioning a holistic sense of self. In reference to Creative Extraction, expression toward the enhancing of emotion and identification of authentic values and feelings enable release and validation. Building of inner strength and outer relationships are important to communicating who we are. Reflecting on shadow imaging and of internal elements will allow for visioning and creative connectedness.

Our community includes the participating of connecting with the public through the art and its symbolic representation regarding the intergenerational affect as illustrated by symbolic historical referencing and recording.

The developing of inner creativity through outer expression allows a sense of identity and connecting of two worlds within. Integrating Aboriginal artistic mastery with Western/European mastery as recognized fine artistry brings a unified and elegant fusion of a unique vision of true Canadian Fine Art.

Rachel Rivett trained in Drama at Bretton Hall in West Yorkshire, England.

She worked as a youth worker, ran a young people's touring drama group and worked in schools with children at risk of exclusion.

She was awarded a distinction for her MA in Writing for Children at Winchester University and now happily home-educates her four children believing that the best learning happens when people are encouraged to follow their hearts.

Author, blogger and adult educator are a few of the hats this bibliophile wears. Olivia holds a BA in Mass Communications from the University of Alabama in Birmingham and a Masters in Organizational Management.

When she is not teaching others the art of writing, she is penning short stories and romantic adventures.

Rita Monette was born and raised in Southwest Louisiana. After retiring from her “real” job as an administrative assistant for the State of Michigan, Rita began doing what she always wanted to do…write and paint.

Five long years later, Musa Publishing offered her a contract for her debut middle grade novel, The Legend of Ghost Dog Island, which also includes her artwork. Her stories are set in the beautiful, yet mysterious, bayous and swamps of her home state.

Rita now lives with her husband, four lap dogs and one lap cat in the mountains of Tennessee.

David Wilson is a creative person who sometimes finds his creativity bubbling out in unexpected directions. He's been a photographer for over 20 years, both photographing for other people and following his passion for creating artistic images.

He loves to bring his images into Photoshop where, with his unique vision, he manipulates and combines sometimes twenty or more photographs at a time to create a scene in which one may become lost in exploration and introspection but which could never have existed in our world.

David has long enjoyed writing creatively but had never published until Luna Raccoon. Luna Raccoon was one of those unexpected bubbles of creativity that rose to the surface and then had to get out and be seen by others. Sometimes David gets the bug to create and then things just come out. He likes that.

Dolores holds a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in psychology as well as teacher certification in Manitoba, Canada. She has taken courses in human relations and communication.

Although her primary focus has always been that of wife, mother and now grandmother, she has held a variety of jobs. Dolores started off her working years as a cashier when she was in high school.

Upon completion of the Education 1A program at the University of Manitoba, she became a primary school teacher. During her teaching career, Dolores furthered her education by completing her Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in psychology from the University of Winnipeg.

After leaving her teaching career, she became a bank employee for a major financial institution for a number of years. She enjoyed each of these jobs and how they enhanced her life. In her earlier years, she volunteered her time by teaching Christian education, tutoring, working in the school library and belonging to the ladies church group.

On moving to Pine Falls, Manitoba due to her husband's career change, Dolores spent time singing in the church choir, teaching Christian education, assisting at Wings of Power as well as working on the women’s auxiliary at a local hospital.

She also served on the Hospital Foundation Board. She is now retired and spends half the year with her husband in a retirement community in Arizona. For the remainder of the year, Dolores enjoys her children and grandchildren in Winnipeg, Manitoba where she was born and raised. She continues to learn from all the people who touch her life. She has now published four books and is an avid reader and book reviewer.